UFC Fight Night 38 was another raucous event in front of an excited Brazilian crowd. Many of the fighters came out swinging and put on impressive fights. Now that the event is over, these are fight suggestions for the individuals who were able to get their hands raised at the end of the night:
Dan Henderson vs. Daniel Cormier
All Dan Henderson needed was one punch to grab control of his bout with Mauricio Rua, and he did so in epic fashion. The third round stoppage brought an end to a three-fight losing streak for the multiple-time champion. At 43 years of age, Henderson continues to defy “Father Time,” so perhaps he does still have one last run in him.
Daniel Cormier is another Olympian who is making a charge towards the title. He’s much closer to a title shot than Henderson, but still needs a win over a marquee name before many will consider him a true contender. Henderson has the wrestling background that could stifle the younger Cormier, and his power is well-documented.
Cormier vs. Henderson could be used as the co-main event for a UFC PPV event at some point during the third quarter of 2014.
C.B. Dollaway vs. Clint Hester
C.B. Dollaway loves playing the spoiler in Brazil, and did it once again at UFC Fight Night 38. Many felt he was slighted in his bout against Tim Boetsch, but “The Doberman” has looked much improved in his last few bouts. While he hasn’t put together the resume to be considered for ranking in the top 15 of the division, he should take a step towards contendership in 2014.
Clint Hester has looked very good since coming off of his stint on The Ultimate Fighter. He has shown powerful striking, but questions still linger about his cardio in long bouts. Dollaway has suffered early finishes from powerful hitters in the past, so this is the type of fight that will force both fighters to fix some of the holes in their respective games.
Clint Hester vs. C.B. Dollaway could be used as a main card opener for a Fox UFC card during the third quarter of 2014.
Jussier da Silva vs. Louis Gaudinot
Jussier “Formiga” da Silva has struggled since the period of time before he entered the UFC, when he was considered the best flyweight in the sport. Since then, the Nova Uniao team member has alternated wins and losses in the Octagon, and needs to put together a streak if he’s ever going to see a shot at the 125-pound title. Louis Gaudinot is the ideal next opponent for Formiga to attempt to attain back-to-back wins against.
Jussier seems to struggle against the high-paced, pressure-based style that many UFC fighters employ, but. if he’s ever going to be a top contender, he will have to deal with that approach. Gaudinot represents that exact type of challenge for the Brazilian. In a three-round fight, he has the cardio to wear Formiga down and escape with a win.
Jussier da Silva vs. Louis Gaudinot should be booked for the Fox Sports 1 preliminary card of an UFC PPV event in the third quarter of 2014.
Rony Jason vs. the winner of Akira Corassani vs. Dustin Poirier
While the MMA world was not supportive of the way Rony “Jason” Mariano Bezerra defeated Steven Siler, the fact remains that the TUF: Brazil winner walked out of the cage with a victory. Although many fans and observers had expected Jason to become something special in the fight scene, his recent loss to Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 32 raised questions about his game. A matchup against the winner of the April 16 bout between Dustin Poirier and Akira Corassani at the TUF Nations Finale would be a move towards answering those questions.
Both Poirier and Corassani are on win streaks within the Octagon, and either would pose an interesting style matchup for Jason because they both have the ability to strike as well as the ground chops to mix things up on the floor.
Rony Jason vs. either Poirier or Corassani would work as an opening bout for the main card of a Fox UFC event.
With wins under their caps, these athletes have put their career on a positive track early in 2014. These next fight pairings would give them opportunities to continue moving in that direction or have their opponents seize the momentum. Regardless of the outcome of each fight, the sport, and the UFC, keeps moving forward.
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UFC Fight Night 38: Henderson vs. Rua 2 took place on March 23, 2014 at the Ginasio Nelio Dias in Natal, Brazil.
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